1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates generally to a vehicle seat having an improved mounting configuration with respect to the underlying floor panel structure.
2. Description of Related Art
Vehicular, and in particular automotive, seat assemblies are becoming increasingly unitized so that they can be rapidly and easily installed as a modular component in the passenger compartment via an assembly line type operation, thereby reducing vehicle assembly time and the assembly line personnel required to complete the installation. One such adaptation toward this end has been the integration of a safety restraint belt with the seat assembly. In this manner, the seat assembly together with the safety restraint belt are installed as an integral unit in the passenger compartment at the time of vehicle manufacture.
One important consideration when the safety restraint belt is integrated with the seat assembly becomes the strength and integrity of the connection between the seat assembly and the underlying floor panel so as to withstand the severe loading which may occur in emergency situations of sudden deceleration, such as may occur in a collision. Sudden deceleration creates elevated forces resulting from the mass of a seated and restrained occupant tending to remain in motion, while the vehicle rapidly decelerates. Under these conditions, when the safety restraint belt is rapidly tensioned by the momentum of an occupant, the restraining forces are transmitted from the safety restraint belt and through the various structures in the seat assembly, and finally to the locations at which the bottom frame is anchored to the floor of the passenger compartment. The bottom frame typically includes a pair of side rail which have respective mounting features for fastening to the floor panel. These mounting features must be adequately designed to prevent unnecessary injury to the occupant, and yet be relatively convenient to access and manipulate during the seat installation process.